


Empty, but Not Hollowed Out

by EmptyHeartedLover



Category: Transistor (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 19:56:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16394108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmptyHeartedLover/pseuds/EmptyHeartedLover
Summary: "Have you ever seen a world so empty?" Boxer asks her, and Red is quiet. Not like she has a choice.





	Empty, but Not Hollowed Out

“Have you ever seen a world so empty?” Boxer asks her when they are curled away in a corner for a brief respite, the Process skittering and crawling around like her pet tarantula, and Red is quiet – not like she has a choice not to be – while she leans down onto the Transistor. “Don’t mean the bugs count as people, no. So damn empty here. Don’t like it.” He says tiredly, and Red hums her response to him; it doesn’t really mean anything, she doesn’t think about it, but she is listening, and that is about the only thing she can do for him.

The process break into the world around them, tearing them apart and leaving them only as data cubes, and Red closes her eyes. Fatigue grips her, dragging her head down onto the Transistor, and it is only when the light gets unbearable that she lets her eyes flutter open again. “Don’t fall asleep on me right now, Red.” Boxer pleads, and she stares ahead at the whitening world, and Red exhales heavily before she stands on shaky legs and nearly trips forward.

Her heels are only hindering her, and she sets the Transistor aside, bends down, and breaks each heel off before throwing them away to the side. One of the smaller Processes is quick to bounce onto the heels, destroying them into nothing but cubes, and she stares at the… well, process of destruction before her. “They don’t sleep, do they?” Boxer asks.

She hauls the Transistor up, bringing it close to her so that she may rest her forehead against the red orb, before she is dragging the blade across the floor once more.

* * *

There are many towers that she has always wanted to visit; mostly governmental towers, always changing appearances but never losing height.

She has never expected that she will go to them like this. Sitting at the highest peak is exhilarating as much as it is saddening; the offices are all empty and no one is around to greet her and then tell her to wait. The secretary is a pile of white cubes leaned over the table, a mess of blocks with no rhyme or reason to them, and Red wishes she could have known what kind of disposition this person used to have.

Boxer is chatty, talking back and forth about all the times he has had to go to governmental offices due to being a rowdy troublemaker… though, he isn’t as artistic as Shomar, he reassures, nothing as daring or as influential as him, and Red’s mind wanders away and back to him as she walks around the office. This is a PR office from what she can gather, and she finds herself going through the monitors to read through some of the events that they have tried to cover up or to make seem better than it really is.

So many things that the Camerata have done, hidden away by a small veil and many lies to appease the public about what has happened to so many artists and entertainers. Shomar’s disappearance just another elaborate prank, Wave’s disappearance his retirement and leave of the public eye… she is sure that this isn’t what PR representatives are supposed to do, but then again there isn’t much that Red knows about something like this.

“Red,” he asks, probably tired of not really being listened to, “what are you thinking about?” a pregnant pause, then, “do you wanna type it out?”

She shakes her head, and Boxer lets out a meek ‘okay’ before he is quick to go back to his rambling recollections of all the times he has been arrested and reprimanded with nothing more than a slap on the wrist and a temporarily bracelet to keep him from causing trouble for a few weeks or so.

“I stopped getting arrested again around when I met you, though.”

* * *

Maybe she shouldn’t be wandering around mindlessly, but she doesn’t want to continue her way over to the Bracket towers. She just wants to stay here, sitting by the fountain that has yet to be ruined, wants to stay listening to the rushing of water and only that, Boxer staying quiet to let her indulge in the softness of the area around them. No Process rushes out to them, having yet to get to this region, and Red just stares at her own reflection in the fountain.

A blue gash lies horizontal on her throat and she thumbs at it. It doesn’t feel like she can dip her throat in it, but she knows what it has done and she knows that it isn’t just for show. She reaches out and lets her fingers graze the surface of the fountain water, lets her fingertips rest upon the water, feeling the soothing warmth and she wishes for searing hotness or absolute coldness. She submerges her hand in the water, then her arm, and she leaves it there for a time.

Her jacket’s sleeve and hand is dry when she pulls her arm out. She stands up, grabs the hilt of the Transistor, and leaves the area at the first hint of the process approaching.

* * *

“We’re finally going to Bracket towers, aren’t we?” Boxer asks, and Red runs her hand through her hair while she leans against the hammock in the sandbox. It takes her a while to finally nod back her response at him. “We’re gonna get the answers straight outta them, if they know what’s good for them.” Boxer promises and her expression softens, a smile settling on her lips. “Red, we’re gonna be fine.”

She nods again, then claps at Luna and calls her over, the robotic dog running up to her enthusiastically and jumping up to settle its paws on her thighs, its head bobbing back and forth as Red distracts herself with her new dog.

It isn’t really hers, though.

Boxer’s voice rises up in excitement at the sight of her, especially when Red grabs at the beach ball and throws it around, playing ball with Luna before she goes out to face the stress of the world around them. Is this what Sybil used to do? And is this how she has always been able to travel around so quickly? Maybe.

She doesn’t know, maybe she’ll never know. Maybe Boxer can ask, but it isn’t like she can ask him for that favour.

Luna barks enthusiastically, nuzzling up against her palm, and Red takes her time before she goes out.

Asher and Grant can wait.


End file.
